After School Visit
by C.A. Elenath
Summary: Sky's finally made it to B squad, but it's not a fellow cadet he chooses to celebrate with.


**Disclaimer**_: Ree's mine. Not much else is._

**Notes: **_If you'd read 'Night Watch', you'd know who Ree is by now. ;) _

**After School Visit**

Huh. She had an unusually large amount of personal space around her as she stood at her locker, rummaging for books. Students were streaming through the hallway in masses, eager for escape after seven hours of mind-numbing classes, but none came within a 3-foot radius of her person. Instead, they seemed to be flowing around something, something she couldn't identify until she turned around.

A tall figure in a dark gray and black uniform stood behind her, carrying what was to her a very noticeable white blaster around his leg. Ree's eyes landed on that first, and widened as they traveled upward over the silver dog-head insignia on his chest and upward still to his face.

"My god, what have they been feeding you over there?"

Her brother cocked an eyebrow. "What _haven't_ they been feeding _you_?" he retorted.

Ree gave him an evil eye. She hadn't seen Sky in months—he hadn't even come home for Christmas since their father had been away on business for the holidays—and it seemed he had been afforded a major growth spurt while she hadn't gained an inch in the last year.

"What are you doing here, doofus?" she shut her locker with a metallic clang.

Sky grinned. "I made B squad."

He looked so elated, Ree was perplexed. She plastered on a similar expression. "That's _great!_" she enthused, then lost the phony smile. "What's that mean?"

"It means I'm this much closer to becoming a Ranger."

The two started off down the hallway together, with other students continuing to walk around them. Most eyed Sky and his uniform curiously and/or warily—he certainly looked like the law enforcement officer he was training to be, and his newfound altitude made him somewhat intimidating, but Ree privately doubted those were the reasons why the female students were looking at him.

"You know, you and your Academy cohorts…and male dancers are the only guys I know that actually look forward to wearing tights," Ree raised an eyebrow at Sky's crisp, evenly paced gait. "That make you walk funny."

"Uneducated midget," he shook his head derisively. "You wouldn't slam it if you knew anything about what the Power can do."

"I'll take my ignorance, thanks," Ree slipped her sunglasses down from her head as they stepped out of the school building and into the spring sunshine. "Staying long?"

"Nope. Want to go to lunch?"

"Sure. Boy, you're in a good mood today."

Sky shrugged. "It feels good. I've been working for this for years."

"I know," Ree smiled. "And I have no idea about Academy hierarchy or this B squad business, but congratulations anyway."

"Thanks," Sky grinned again, and came to a halt beside a well-waxed white motorcycle with an attached siren in back and the letters 'SPD' painted on the side in black. Ree had to backpedal two steps, not at all expecting a two-wheeled vehicle.

"Is that _yours_?" she asked, lifting her shades to reveal wide gray eyes.

"Yes," Sky looked pleased by her obvious esteem.

Ree whistled. "I think I'm liking this Academy business," she circled the cycle once, leaning down to inspect the controls curiously. "Can I drive?"

"No." Sky opened one of the storage compartments in the back and withdrew a helmet. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere that maximizes the ride," Ree slipped off her sunglasses and accepted the helmet he handed her.

"Okay," Sky pulled on a pair of driving gloves. "Have you been on a motorcycle before?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Don't let go," he warned, swinging one leg over the bike easily. "Just a word of advice."

"It's a beautiful day to go crack open my skull," said Ree dryly, tightening the straps on her backpack so that the bag rested more tightly against her back. "Does it make you feel all manly and stuff?"

"I like taking it out," Sky answered neutrally, slipping on his helmet.

Ree chuckled, accepting his nonchalant answer as an affirmative. She put her own helmet on and climbed onto the bike behind him, a bit awkwardly since she hadn't sat on any two-wheeled vehicles in years. It didn't feel as glamorous as the movies always made it look, but she supposed it was the ride and not the appearance that was supposed to be most impressive.

Sitting there so close behind her brother, Ree realized just how much he had changed, not only physically though that was the most noticeable difference, but in demeanor as well. His behavior was stricter, as expected from his militaristic training, but he also seemed more relaxed, more confident in himself. Some of the looks he'd given her today were outright cocky.

Ree squirmed into a more comfortable position and put her arms around his waist. She could count on one hand the number of times she saw Sky in a year ever since he went off to the Academy, but—she glanced up at the back of his helmet as the cycle glided smoothly into motion—she hoped that he had found there a place where he finally felt like he belonged.


End file.
